Stephen C. Foster: Verses about Home

Old Folks At Home

1 Way down upon de Swanee ribber,2 Far, far away,3 Dere's wha my heart is turning ebber,4 Dere's wha de old folks stay.5 All up and down de whole creation,6 Sadly I roam,7 Still longing for de old plantation,8 And for de old folks at home.

9 [Chorus] All de world am sad and dreary,10 Ebry where I roam,11 Oh! darkeys how my heart grows weary,12 Far from de old folks at home.

13 [Solo] All round de little farm I wandered14 When I was young,15 Den many happy days I squandered,16 Many de songs I sung.17 When I was playing wid my brudder18 Happy was I --.19 Oh! take me to my kind old mudder,20 Dere let me live and die.

21 [Chorus] All de world am sad and dreary,22 Ebry where I roam,23 Oh! darkeys how my heart grows weary,24 Far from de old folks at home.

25 One little hut among de bushes,26 One dat I love,27 Still sadly to my mem'ry rushes,28 No matter where I rove29 When will I see de bees a humming30 All round de comb?31 When will I hear de banjo tumming32 Down in my good old home?

33 [Chorus] All de world am sad and dreary,34 Ebry where I roam,35 Oh! darkeys how my heart grows weary,36 Far from de old folks at home

My Old Kentucky Home, Good Night!

1 The sun shines bright in the old Kentucky home,2 'Tis summer, the darkies are gay,3 The corn top's ripe and the meadow's in the bloom4 While the birds make music all the day.5 The young folks roll on the little cabin floor,6 All merry, all happy and bright:7 By'n by Hard Times comes a knocking at the door,8 Then my old Kentucky Home, good night!

9 [Chorus] Weep no more, my lady, oh! weep no more to-day!10 We will sing one song11 For the old Kentucky Home,12 For the old Kentucky Home, far away.

13 [Solo] They hunt no more for the possum and the coon14 On the meadow, the hill and the shore,15 They sing no more by the glimmer of the moon,16 On the bench by the old cabin door.17 The day goes by like a shadow o'er the heart,18 With sorrow where all was delight:19 The time has come when the darkies have to part,20 Then my old Kentucky Home, good-night!

21 [Chorus] Weep no more, my lady, oh! weep no more to-day!22 We will sing one song23 For the old Kentucky Home,24 For the old Kentucky Home, far away.

25 [Solo] The head must bow and the back will have to bend,26 Wherever the darkey may go:27 A few more days, and the trouble all will end28 In the field where the sugar-canes grow.29 A few more days for to tote the weary load,30 No matter 'twill never be light,31 A few more days till we totter on the road,32 Then my old Kentucky Home, good-night!

33 [Chorus] Weep no more, my lady, oh! weep no more to-day!34 We will sing one song35 For the old Kentucky Home,36 For the old Kentucky Home, far away.